Few anime have taken the world by storm like Solo Leveling, which is why it's no surprise the series just won top series during Crunchyroll's annual Anime of the Year Award. The acclaimed series was facing stiff competition from the likes of Dandadan, Delicious in Dungeon, Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, Kaiju No. 8, and the Apothecary Diaries, making its huge win all the more impressive.

As announced by Crunchyroll themselves, Solo Leveling won a litany of awards during the anime industry's biggest night. In addition to claiming the coveted Anime of the Year Award, Solo Leveling won Best New Anime Series, Best Action Anime, Best Main Character, Best Anime Score, Best Anime Ending Sequence, and a handful of awards for series protagonist Sung Jinwoo's various voice actors.

What Other Anime Series Won Big At Crunchyroll's Anime of the Year Awards?

Solo Leveling Wasn't The Only Series That Took Home Countless Awards

Though Solo Leveling did exceptionally well, a few other anime series stood above the pack. Counting all the awards together, Frieren: Beyond Journey's End took home four while Dandadan nabbed a close three. Despite the heaps of praise these series received, though, none of them even come close to Solo Leveling's impressive nine wins across all categories. While that's not exactly a sweep, it does mean that Solo Leveling won most of the awards it was eligible for, an impressive achievement, no doubt.

It's important to note the timeframe Crunchyroll's Anime Awards operate under. Anything released between the Winter 2024 and Fall 2024 seasons is eligible. This is why anime series like Spy x Family season 2 and Frieren: Beyond Journey's End were both eligible for awards despite releasing all the way back in 2023. Given this timeframe, it seems all but guaranteed that Solo Leveling season 2 will be the anime to beat at Crunchyroll's next Anime of the Year Awards ceremony.

Why Solo Leveling Won Anime of the Year Explained

The Series Has Seen Unprecedented Success

Though some fans may grumble about Solo Leveling winning a prestigious award like Crunchyroll's Anime of the Year, it shouldn't come as particularly surprising to anyone. Solo Leveling holds the record for the most-liked episode on Crunchyroll and has continually broken records it set. That hype has only built with the release of the series' second season, which saw a great deal of fan acclaim for its action and characters.

Personally, while I'm not a big fan of the anime, I do understand its appeal. The series focuses on a powerless individual becoming the most powerful person in the world, so I can certainly understand the appeal of a power fantasy like that. With gorgeous animation, Solo Leveling is easily one of A-1 Pictures' best anime series. All of this combines to make Solo Leveling a once-in-a-generation hit and more than well-deserving of Crunchyroll's Anime of the Year award.